Adjustable foot rest



April 21, 1931. c. E. NIELSEN ADJUSTABLE FOOT REST Filed July 29. 1929 bl \\\\L\\\\ Patented Apr. 21, 1931 UNITED STATES CAR-L v11"'. NIELSEN, OF SPENCER, IOWA ADJUSTABLE FOOT REST Application led .uly 29, 1929. Serial No. 382,039.

yThe object-of my invention is to provide a foot rest for automobiles which is adjustable and is of simple, durable and comparatively inexpensive construction.

More particularly it is my object to provide a toot rest consisting of a bracket and a foot rest element adjustable to fit the shoes of men or women, and adapted for .use in connection with an accelerator button or the like.

Still a further ob'ect is to provide aoot rest consisting of a racket having a slotted means of connection with the floor boards of an automobile whereby the bracket may be adjusted towards or from a foot accelerator button 'and to provide a drum shaped toot rest element eccentrically pivoted to the bracket and adjustable to various heights and to different distances from the accelerator button, whereby a three point contact may be had.

Another object is to provide a locking means in connection with the foot rest whereby it may be retained in any desired position.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in the construction, ar-

rangement and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my adjustable foot rest orautomobiles.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same showing it adjusted to one of its raised positions, parts being broken away to illustrate the locking pin. j

'Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 3j Figure 5 is a sectional view through the floor boards of an automobile illustrating the rest secured thereto and showing a mans shoe coacting with the foot rest and an accelera-tor button;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 showing a womans Jfoot associated with the rest and accelerator button.

Figure 7 is an end view ot a modified orm of construction illustrating a locking mechanism for the foot rest; and Y Figure 8 is a sectional view on the line 8 8 of Figure 'l'.

On the accompanying drawings I have used the reference character A to indicate generally a supporting bracket. A foot rest element is indicated by the reference character B. The bracket A consists oi' a base plate l0 having a pair of transversely arranged countersunk slots 12 formed therein. Upstanding ears 14 are provided at the ends of the base plate 10.

A squared opening 16 is formed in one or" the ears 14 and an opening 18 is formed in the other ear in alignment therewith. A clamping bolt 20 having a squared shank 22 under the head thereof is received through the openings 16 and 18 with the shank 22 nonrotatably mounted in the squared opening 16.

The foot rest element B consists otl a hollow cylindrical portion 24 having end plat-es 26. The element- B may be cast all in one piece or formed up' with the end members 26 separate from the cylindrical portion 24 and connected therewith in any suitable manner as found feasible in manufacture.

Openings 28 are formed in the end members 26 of the foot rest element B for the bolt 20 to extend through, as clearly shown in Figure Y 3.- A wing nut 30 is provided on the threaded end of the bolt 2O whereby the eccentrically mounted foot rest element B may be clamped in any desired position of adjustment after being rotated to such position relative to the bolt 20.y

I prefer, however, to provide a positive lock consisting of an opening 82 formed in one of the ears 14 and a plurality of spaced openings 84 formed in one of the end members 26 of the cylindrical foot rest B. A lock pin 86 is adapted to extend through one ofthe openings 82 and one of the openings 84, to prevent rotation of the element B relative to the bolt 20. Other suitable locking means may be provided, such as shown in Figures 7 and 8 wherein a modied type of means is illustrated.

In order to prevent dislodgment of the lock pin 36 I provide a cover plate 38 pivotally mounted on the bolt 2O and preferably provided with countersunk recesses 40 through which the head of the lock pin 36 extends. A lug 42 is formed on the cover plate 38 adapted to be engaged by the fingers of the driver for rotating the plate to a position where access ma be had to the pin 36.

wo of the openings 34 are provided in the ear 14 of the bracket A so that the cylinder B may be adjusted forwardly of the bracket as shown in Figure 5 or rearwardly thereof as shown in Figure 6. In Figures 5 and 6 the device is illustrated as mounted on the slanting floor boards 44 of an automobile, the lever floor boards of which are indicated at 46. The accelerator push rod and button is indicated at 48. Screws 50 of the countersunk type extend through the slots 12 in the bracket A and into the door boards 44 for supporting the foot rest relative to the Hoor boards.

In some instances, it would be desirable to use countersunk head bolts instead of screws. Due to the slots 12 it will be obvious that the bracket A can be adjusted rearwardly as shown in Figure 5 or forwardly as shown in Figure 6. Since the height of the foot rest can be adjusted by rotating the cylinder 24 to any desired position, the driver has a universal adjustment of distance relative to the accelerator button 48 and height relative to the Hoor boards 44. By rotating the cylinder 24 in a clockwise direction from the position shown in Figure 2 it will be obvious that the height thereof will be raised.

The use and adjustment f my device After being installed on the floor boards 44 my device is quickly adjusted by placing the foot in the position shown in Figure 5, loosening the wing nut 30 and removing the lock pin 36, after which the cylindrical foot rest B may be rotated to a position of proper height to coact with the instep of the foot. The lock pin 36 is then reinserted through one of the openings 32 and through any one of the openings 34 which are in registry therewith after which the plate 38 may be swung to its proper position and the wing nut 3() tightened. Thereafter the foot rest is properly spaced from the accelerator button 48 for best results by slightly loosening the screws 50 so the bracket A can be adjusted if desired. The screws 50 are then tightened for retaining the foot rest in such position.

Ordinarily the adjustments to fit the shoes of men a'nd women are as illustrated in Figures and 6 with the lower corner of the heel resting on the floor boards 46, the instep resting on the cylinder B and the sole of the foot '5 resting on the accelerator 48 whereby a three point rest is obtained. This places the foot in an easy accelerating position since the slight movement required for acceleration is had by merely bending the toe of the foot downwardly as shown in dotted lines, the three point support being retained in all ositions of acceleration. If found desira le the cylinder B may be adjusted slightly lower for long trips where high speed of acceleration occurs throughout most of the trip.

The slots 12 are countersunk so that countersunk head screws may be used to allow the cylinder B to be swung to its lowermost position without interfering with such heads. In Figures 7 and 8 I have illustrated a modified form of construction in which one end 26 of the cylindrical foot rest B has a series of radial depressions 35 formed therein. The ear 14 on the bracket A adjacent thereto is provided with a corresponding depression 37 adapted to coact with any depression 35 which might be in registry therewith. In this instance, the ears 14 of the bracket A ma be suiciently spread when the clamping bo t is released to allow the cylinder B to be rotated and tightening of the clamping bolt draws the ears toward the ends of the cylinder for causing the coaction between the depression and 37 as best shown in Figure 8. This construction eliminates the necessity of having to withdraw the locking pin 36 and also eliminates the plate 38.

The cylindrical rest element 24 may be provided with a covering of rubber or other suitable material if desired.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my device without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents, which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. A foot rest comprising a bracket, a cylindrical rest element eccentrically pivoted thereto and means for maintaining the foot rest element in any desired position to which it may be pivotally moved.

2. A foot rest comprising a bracket, a cylindrical rest element eccentrically ivoted thereto and means for maintaining t e foot rest element in any desired position to which it may be pivotally moved, said means comprising a clamping bolt extending through the bracket and the rest element.

3. A foot rest comprising a bracket, a cylindrical rest element eccentrically pivoted thereto and means for maintaining the foot rest element in any desired position to which it may be pivotally moved, said means comprising a lock pin associated with the bracket and the rest element.

4. A foot rest comprising a bracket, a cylindrical rest element eccentrically pivoted thereto and means for maintaining the foot rest element in any desired position to which it may be pivotally moved, said means comprising a lock pin associated With the bracket and the rest element, and a clamping bolt extending through the bracket and the rest element.

5. A foot rest comprising a bracket, a cylindrical rest element eccentrically pivoted thereto, means for maintaining the foot rest element in any desired position to which it may be pivotally moved, said means comprising a lock pin associated with the bracket and the rest element, a clamping bolt extending through the bracket and the rest element, and a cover plate for said lock pin, said cover lplate being held in position by said clamping olt.

6. A foot rest comprising a bracket, slotted openings in said bracket to receive bolts by which the bracket may be adjustably secured to a surface, a cylindrical rest element eccentrically pivoted thereto and means for maintaining the foot rest element in any desired position to which it may be pivotall moved.

CARL E. NIE SEN. 

